3-EN ( 英文 ), 0300-Missionary ( 宣教研究 ), 0350-其他宗教／民間宗教／異端 

America--the land of the free--has from its earliest days spawned and nurtured a wide range of new or alternative religions. Often veering from traditional roots or seeking to find their way back toward the center, these religious fringe groups have a fascinating story long overlooked in many treatments of American history. Richard Kyle here traces the origins and development of alternative religions, showing their influence on American culture. Previous books have focused on sociological analysis or theological evaluation of these groups that are often put under the headings of cults or the occult. Kyle instead focuses on historical description of what these groups believe and practice, and what conditions allow them to flourish. Here is a book for all who wish to be informed about an important part of American religious history. 

Backgrounds in the West. Introduction ; Fringe groups in the West -- Religious innovations in early national America. Early national America : social and religious movements ; Early metaphysical and occult movements ; Religious communalism ; Mormonism and the Christadelphians -- Cracks in the Protestant empire : the Civil War to World War II. American culture in the late nineteenth century ; Nineteenth-century occult and metaphysical movements ; Early Eastern groups ; Christian-related bodies ; Black religious groups Eastern groups in post-Christian America. Religious innovations in post-Christian America ; The turn East : whynow? ; Hindu, Sikh and Jain-related bodies ; Buddhist groups ; Islam-related groups -- The occult, psychic groups and the New Age movement in post-Christian America. Twentieth-century occult and metaphysical movements ; The New Age movement ; Psychospiritual or self-improvement groups -- Christian bodies in post-Christian America. The Christian background ; The Unification Church ; The People's Temple ; Aberrational groups in the Jesus Movement.